diff --git a/t3lib/class.t3lib_userauth.php b/t3lib/class.t3lib_userauth.php
index af56025..fb1ddea 100644
--- a/t3lib/class.t3lib_userauth.php
+++ b/t3lib/class.t3lib_userauth.php
@@ -252,8 +252,10 @@ class t3lib_userAuth {
 			// Make certain that NO user is set initially
 		$this->user = '';
 
+		if (t3lib_div::_GP($this->formfield_status) === 'login') {
 			// We need a PHP session session for most login levels
-		session_start();
+			session_start();
+		}
 
 			// Check to see if anyone has submitted login-information and if so register the user with the session. $this->user[uid] may be used to write log...
 		$this->checkAuthentication();